Read and Manipulate Excel 2016 Charts

Introduction

Excel is a powerful tool for data visualization and presentation, but manipulating charts programmatically can be quite complex. That’s where Aspose.Cells for .NET comes to the rescue! This robust library allows developers to create, read, and manipulate Excel files seamlessly. In this tutorial, we’ll dive into how to read and manipulate Excel 2016 charts using Aspose.Cells, making the process straightforward and efficient.

Prerequisites

Before we jump into the code, let’s ensure you’re all set up. Here are the prerequisites you’ll need:

1. Aspose.Cells for .NET: You must have this library installed. If you haven’t done so yet, you can download it here.
2. .NET Framework: Make sure you have .NET Framework installed in your development environment. Aspose.Cells supports multiple frameworks, so check the compatibility.
3. IDE: Use an IDE like Visual Studio to write and execute your code.
4. Basic Knowledge of C#: Understanding the fundamentals of C# programming will make following this tutorial much easier.

Now that we have everything ready, let’s go ahead and import the necessary packages.

Import Packages

To start, you will need to import the following namespaces in your C# file. This will allow you to utilize the classes offered by Aspose.Cells.

using System;
using System.IO;

using Aspose.Cells;
using Aspose.Cells.Charts;

Let’s break down the task into manageable steps. We’ll outline the process of reading Excel charts, changing their titles, and saving the modified workbook.

Step 1: Set Up Source and Output Directories

First, you need to define the location of your source Excel file and the directory where you want to save the output file.

// Source directory
string sourceDir = "Your Document Directory";

// Output directory
string outputDir = "Your Output Directory";

Replace "Your Document Directory" and "Your Output Directory" with the actual paths where your files are stored.

Step 2: Load the Workbook

In this step, you’ll load the Excel file that contains the charts. Aspose.Cells makes this easy with the Workbook class.

// Load source excel file containing excel 2016 charts
Workbook wb = new Workbook(sourceDir + "sampleReadManipulateExcel2016Charts.xlsx");

Make sure the Excel file you’re referring to exists in the specified path. Otherwise, you might run into a file not found error.

Step 3: Access the Worksheet

Next, you want to access the worksheet containing the charts. Usually, it’s the first worksheet that contains the relevant data.

// Access the first worksheet which contains the charts
Worksheet ws = wb.Worksheets[0];

Step 4: Loop Through the Charts

Now, you’ll need to iterate over all the charts present in the worksheet. Aspose.Cells allows you to access charts easily using the Charts property of the Worksheet class.

// Access all charts one by one and read their types
for (int i = 0; i < ws.Charts.Count; i++)
{
    // Access the chart
    Chart ch = ws.Charts[i];

Step 5: Print Chart Types

Inside the loop, print out the type of each chart. This will help you understand what types of charts are present in your Excel file.

    // Print chart type
    Console.WriteLine(ch.Type);

Step 6: Modify Chart Titles

Here’s where the fun begins! You can dynamically change the title of each chart based on its type.

    // Change the title of the charts as per their types
    ch.Title.Text = "Chart Type is " + ch.Type.ToString();
}

This step personalizes each chart, making your data visualization more intuitive.

Step 7: Save the Workbook

Once you’ve made your changes, you need to save the modified workbook. This is quite straightforward with Aspose.Cells.

// Save the workbook
wb.Save(outputDir + "outputReadManipulateExcel2016Charts.xlsx");

Remember to provide a valid name for the output file!

Step 8: Confirmation Message

For a practical touch, let’s provide feedback in the console to confirm that the operation was successful.

Console.WriteLine("ReadManipulateExcel2016Charts executed successfully.");

Conclusion

Congratulations! You’ve successfully learned how to read and manipulate Excel 2016 charts using Aspose.Cells for .NET. This powerful library gives you the flexibility to handle Excel files programmatically, making your workflow more efficient. Whether you need to update chart titles, modify data, or even create new charts, Aspose.Cells has got you covered.

FAQ’s

What is Aspose.Cells for .NET used for?

Aspose.Cells for .NET is a library for working with Excel files programmatically, allowing developers to create, read, manipulate, and convert Excel files within .NET applications.

How can I download Aspose.Cells?

You can download Aspose.Cells from the website here.

Does Aspose.Cells support Excel file formats other than .xlsx?

Yes! Aspose.Cells supports various file formats, including .xls, .csv, .pdf, and more.

Is there a free trial available for Aspose.Cells?

Yes, Aspose offers a free trial that you can access here.

Where can I get support for Aspose.Cells?

You can find support and community discussions in the Aspose forum here.